The Screaming Jets were formed as a hard rock group in January 1989 in Newcastle by three former members of a high school band, Aspect with singer Dave Gleeson, bass guitarist Paul Woseen and guitarist Grant Walmsley.[1][2]

Gleeson and Walmsley had met in 1981 at St Francis Xavier’s College in Hamilton, first performing together for a school dance at the Newcastle Town Hall.[3] They first formed Sudden Impact in 1985, which later became Aspect; Woseen joined in 1988.[4] Other founding members of The Screaming Jets were guitarist Richard Lara and former The Radiators' drummer Brad Heaney.[2] Their first performance was as The Love Bomb at a Newcastle pub in March.[4] Renamed The Screaming Jets, they won the inaugural National Band Competition run by youth radio broadcaster Triple J in November.[1][4] They relocated to Sydney by early 1990 and supported The Angels on a national tour. In May, they signed with independent label, rooArt.[4] Their debut extended play (EP), The Scorching Adventures of the Screaming Jets, was issued in December.[1]

Through late 1990, The Screaming Jets became infamous for a series of raucous, sometimes violent, live shows. During shows to launch the debut EP, fights often broke out as the band's faithful Newcastle fans mixed with the new Sydney fans. A show at The Kardomah Cafe in Sydney's red light district saw a string of casualties being ferried to the street outside with injuries including broken noses, a broken leg and numerous victims of heat exhaustion.

Following the album's release, the group relocated to the United Kingdom where they based themselves for over two years. They toured there, the rest of Europe and the United States and supported varied hard rock and heavy metal bands. Their third EP, Living in England, was issued in June 1992 and included cover versions of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" and AC/DC's "Ain't No Fun (Waiting Round to Be a Millionaire)".[1] The EP spawned the title single, "Living in England", which peaked in the top 20 in July.[5]

The Screaming Jets' second album Tear of Thought was released in October 1992 on rooArt in Australia and Europe, and on Atlantic Records in the US.[1][2] The band supported Ugly Kid Joe on a European tour in 1993, when Heaney was fired mid-tour. He was temporarily replaced by ex-Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland.[1] A cover single of Boys Next Door's "Shivers" peaked into the Top 20 in February 1993, while the album eventually reached No. 3 in July 1994.[5] Heaney was permanently replaced in the line-up by former BB Steal drummer Craig Rosevear, also from Newcastle, in July 1993. In January 1994, after a US tour backing Def Leppard, Lara was replaced by Melbourne guitarist Jimi "The Human" Hocking (ex-Spectre 7).[1][2] Both "Helping Hand" (March) and "Tunnel" (August) were Top 40 singles from Tear of Thought.[5]

While the band remained only moderately successful overseas, in Australia they became one of the top-drawing live bands of the 1990s, their singles often charted and they achieved the rare distinction of being embraced by both commercial and indie-music focused radio. [1][4]

In September 1995, The Screaming Jets released their third album, The Screaming Jets, which peaked at No. 5.[5] It was co-produced by the band with Robbie Adams (U2).[2] It was the first CD launched via live Webcast. The double-A sided single, "Friend of Mine" / "Sad Song", was issued in October and reached the top 50.[1][5] The group continued to tour and started recording their fourth album, World Gone Crazy late in 1996, it was released in August 1997 and peaked into the top 20.[5] The album was produced by Steve James and rooArt had passed their contract to BMG.[4] Hocking had left by June and was replaced on guitar by Ismet "Izzy" Osmanovic (ex-Judge Mercy).[1][2] BMG released a compilation album, Hits and Pieces in November 1999.[1] One new track, "I Need Your Love" was issued as a single and the limited edition included an eight-track bonus disc.[1]

By the late 1990s the band were touring less and had not released an album of new material since 1996. As well as undertaking the extensive Last Great Rock’n’Roll Show of the Century Australian tour, launched in November 1999, the group started recording their next studio album, Scam, with former Skyhooks producer Ross Wilson.[1][2] By early 2000 Rosevear left to be replaced by on drums by Col Hatchman[4]

The Screaming Jets released their fifth studio album, Scam, in October 2000 on Grudge Records through Universal Music.[1][4] They were selected to tour with Kiss and Alice Cooper in 2001. In June the band performed their last concert in Newcastle before an extended break from touring and recording. The live album of the show, Live Forever, was released in December 2002. They did not play live again until mid-2004.

Since 2004 they continued to record and tour, though more sporadically than during the early 1990s and signed with Universal Records. They recorded another EP, Heart of the Matter, which was released in August 2004. In November, Hatchman left the group, his last performance was recorded for a live CD (Rock On), and associated DVD (Rock On), both were released in 2005, on Liberation Records. Hatchman was replaced by current drummer Mickl "The Slayer" Sayers formerly of Sydney band Tripguage. In October 2006, four Screaming Jets songs were listed in the Triple M Essential 2006 Countdown: "Helping Hand" (voted 447 out of 2006), "Eve of Destruction" (voted 683 out of 2006), "Shivers" (voted 1588 out of 2006) and "My Badger Drinks" (voted 1596 out of 2006).

Early in 2007, founding member and guitarist Walmsley left the band and was replaced by Scotty Kingman, who engineered the band's next album, Do Ya.[7] According to Gleeson, Walmsley left because his external commitments interfered with the band's schedules.[8] Walmsley formed indie roots band, Agents of Peace, in Newcastle with Rod Ansell on harmonica, saxophone, guitar and vocals; Travis May on piano and organ; and Allon Silove on double bass and vocals.[9] In October 2008, The Screaming Jets released Do Ya through StockXchange Music, which is distributed by Sony Music. New songs "141" and "Do Ya" became regular live additions to their set lists. In October 2009, Osmanovich left and Hocking returned to the line-up.[4][10]

Live shows from The Screaming Jets were infrequent through 2010 and 2011, and the band played only one show in 2012, at the car festival Summernats. But the band returned for a short 'Best Of' tour in late 2013.

In May, 2013, bassist and key songwriter Paul Woseen released his debut solo album "Bombido", produced by Woseen and Darryl Mason, released through Darryl Mason's label Misty Mountains Music. "Bombido" is an acoustic collection of some of Woseen's most popular songs originally written for The Screaming Jets, including "Friend Of Mine", "Nightchild" and "October Grey". Social media rumours in late 2013 suggested "Bombido" is the target of a bidding war between US record labels. No deal for a US release has been announced yet.

In interviews to promote the late 2013 tour by The Screaming Jets, lead singer Dave Gleeson said the band will record and release a new studio album in 2014, the band's first new studio album since 2008.

2014 also marks the 25th anniversary of the formation of The Screaming Jets. A 25th anniversary tour will begin in the second half of 2014.